


We Never Learn

by TylerM



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Apocalypse Family, Daryl Dixon & Rick Grimes Friendship, Daryl and Jesus will probably eventually be together, Daryl fell and now everyones worried, Excuse for Fluff, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluffy, Hurt Daryl Dixon, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Daryl, Jesus is a little shit, Negan is in jail, Rick is a Dad, pre that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-19 23:39:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10650480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TylerM/pseuds/TylerM
Summary: "Is he always this stubborn?""This is him being cooperative," Aaron states."Wait till they start asking how he is, that's when you really see Daryl go from badass archer to petulant child," Tara says.Daryl ain't bringing back no more fresh meat for those two, or Jesus.- Or the one where Daryl falls down, kind of injures himself and everyone worries unnecessarily, which drives him insane. Obviously.





	We Never Learn

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry. I really am. I'm not sure where this came from (okay actually I do) I just love Daryl so much and I just want him to be happy. Sue me. I'm really sorry. 
> 
> There is no slash in this, but I like the idea of Daryl/Jesus. I would be cool if that became a thing, I would also be okay if it didn't. I'm pretty chill if we're being honest. I also like Rick/Daryl. I like anyone and Daryl if we're being honest. I also like fluff, as you can tell.

Daryl just needed five minutes was all, five minutes of fucking peace away from these god forsaken people for one god forsaken minute.

He grumbled along as he limped through the streets of Alexandria. Everything about his body language screamed do not touch me, _do not look at me_. Do not even breathe in my direction or I will end you.

Daryl prided himself of his demeanour most days. He was scary before the world ended. Now he's a cross bow wielding badass.

People are afraid of him. People _should_ be afraid of him.

Even after the little stint with Negan and his boys (which, okay, Daryl will never talk about again) he's still a badass and people are still scared of him. They should be, if anything that intensified his need for vengeance, for blood. For some kind of god damn normalcy where he can hunt in fucking peace and people don't look at him like he's broken. Now that Negans locked away things have gone back to normal, people leave him alone.

 Mostly.

Rick runs Alexandria, and Daryl is his right hand man again. He gets to hunt whenever he wants now. Well, not at this very moment. At the moment he's grounded.

Yeah , _grounded._

Rick had actually used those words and he is not happy about it in the slightest, stupid, long bearded bossy, Sherriff, thinks he can boss Daryl around.

 Whatever, Daryl doesn't take orders from people.

Most of the time though, things are normal. Things are great, Daryl hunts and Rick orders the newbies to do shit. They have a system and it works.

Just not right at this very moment.

Right now Daryl could hurt somebody. _He will,_ if they get close enough. He's not above biting someone if they try to touch him and ask him if he's alright one more time. He's done with these people hovering around him. Let him breathe. What happened to the demeanour that scares people away? They're supposed to be frightened of him.

Daryl had gone hunting yesterday. Like normal, Daryl could hunt in his sleep he's that good at it. He'd been looking for some fresh meat. As much as Maggies vegetables are lovely - she'll kill him if he rejected them, bloody mother hen forcing him to eat vegetables now - and canned food is eatable, he needs some meat. Even if it is just possum.

The thing was he'd misjudged the new land, after winter everything looked different and it was difficult to catch all the new branches that had wielded together. He'd misjudged a step, torn his leg on a branch and then twisted his ankle. If that wasn't bad enough, on the way down he'd snagged his arm on stump.

Overall he was a bloody mess and he wouldn't tell anyone, but yeah it kind of hurt.

He'd come limping back sheepishly and slowly, ankle absolutely killing him and blood pouring out of a couple of major cuts that would probably need stiches but would probably be okay without them. He was frustrated and kind of humiliated. Coming back limping and bloody wasn't exactly the best thing for his image.

 It didn't help in the slightest that Tara who was on watch saw him about a mile away and he could hear her screaming for Rick, or somebody because he was hurt.

Shut the fuck up Tara he thought miserably. I'm fine, do not get Rick involved.

It was too late though because the moment he was let in Rick and Carl were waiting for him, both looking concerned. Tara, Jesus and Aaron hovering behind looking equally as concerned but at least giving him space.

"What happened? Did you get bit?" Rick asks and quickly starts prodding him in places no person should be prodded. He knows him and Rick have been through a lot but he'd really rather Rick not touch him and lift up his shirt for bites. Personal space and all that.

"Ain't bit," Daryl says roughly moving out of Rick's space only to almost fall into Carls, luckily the boy is there to steady him. This brings Daryl no comfort in his own ability, "Just fell. Couple cuts and bruises ain't nothin,"

Rick looks like he wants to argue. So in true Ricktatorship fashion, he does, "You look like shit,"

Tell him how it is Rick, don't beat around the bush or nothing.

Stupid former Sherriff thinking he can tell people what to do.

Rick has grasped the archer by the shoulder before Daryl can even begin to explain what's going on and is half dragging him to the infirmary, "You'll probably need stiches,"

"Don't need no stiches," Daryl complains trying to wiggle out of the man's grasp but it's in vain. Rick has no intentions of letting him go, and even if he did he wouldn't get far on such a dud ankle. And he has no doubt Rick would chase him if he tried, which would be embarrassing for everyone involved. Mostly Daryl.

Instead Daryl just grunts unimpressed and when Rick gives him the side eye Daryl wrinkles his nose up in disgust. He is by no means okay with this at all.

He's even less okay with it when he can hear Jesus ask Tara and Aaron,

"Is he always this stubborn?"

"This is him being corporative," Aaron states.

"Wait till they start asking _how he is_ , that's when you really see Daryl go from badass archer to petulant child," Tara says.

Daryl ain't bringing back no more fresh meat for those two, or Jesus.

As it turns out, he doesn't need stiches, although they put more bandages then necessarily on his wounds which makes him look stupid. He can't even cover them properly, he doesn't wear sleeves so the one on his arm is on full show.

It's not really the cuts that are really bothering him though. His ankle is throbbing like a bitch, although it's not like he'd ever tell Rick that. He's determined to play it down as much as possible.

That seems impossible with Rick and his six sense though because he can tell it's really bothering the man. After patching it up he's handed crutches, crutches of all things, he's supposed to walk with. He just gives Rick his best _are you stupid_ look while Rick counters it will all eyebrows.

They have a very long standoff in the infirmary for a while, Daryl refusing to take the crutches that Rick is trying to hand him, but Rick doesn't back down.

"Daryl," Rick says and from the corner of his eyes he can see Carl trying not to smile.

"M'not using those," he spits out looking at them like they may be possessed.

"You will, or you'll be on bed rest," Rick counters and Daryl just deadpans.

"Can't do that,"

Rick just sighs, like he's talking to a child and sometimes he thinks he actually is, "You either use the crutches until your heeled or I will handcuff you to a bed to ensure you can't leave it. It's your call."

"What!" Daryl cries and now Carl is having a real hard time not laughing his ass off.

Rick doesn't flatter though and eventually Daryl just takes the crutches grumbling about pain in the ass people.

"Good," Rick says, clearly happy he won, "You're not to go on any runs until your healed either, need to rest up."

"Don't need no rules Grimes," Daryl mumbles aggressively but Rick pays him no mind. Like he's used to arguing with Daryl about his health. Which, oh yeah he is.

"Course you don't," He says easily walking to the door, "I just have no faith you wouldn't try to exert yourself before you're ready and injure yourself more in the process. Therefore for the time being, until I've seen your ankle has fully healed, you're grounded. I'll make sure everyone on watch knows it as well, if you try to leave, I'll handcuff you to a bed."

With that he walks out of the infirmary easily leaving Daryl a spluttering mess. When the hell did Rick become so forward, so outwardly opinionated about his wellbeing? Usually the man just let him be him, bleeding to death or not. He's an unfriendly son of a bitch, people know this about him. They usually let him be. Easier then getting their head bit off.

"Who the hell does he think he is," Daryl mumbles when the Sherriff has walked out leaving Daryl with the teenager and doctor.

"He's not wrong," Carl says, "Sides, let him do this. He worries about you, we all do."

Daryl just looks at the boy, trying to piece together the information. Carl seems to take pity on him,

"You're the best hunter we have Daryl, nobody wants to see you out of action. But you're family. So we don't want to see you hurt either."

With that Carl walks out and leaves Daryl feeling more confused than he was before.

All these stupid people and their stupid feelings.

It's not like Daryl doesn't get it. He's worried about them more often than not. Well not the new people, the annoying Alexandria ones he doesn't know the names of. But his people, the ones he cares about. Yeah, he worries about them.

It just doesn't make sense to him when it's reversed.

And he doesn't like Ricks no bullshit approach to his health.

Handcuffed to a bed my ass, Daryl thinks. Unless some kinky shit is involved, no way.

Instead of dwelling on it more, he'd thrown the crutches on the porch, screw those fucking things if he had to be grounded he's rather hobble. That'll show Rick.

Hobbling around in pain, that would definitely show Rick.

He just needed a minute to compose himself. Away from these fuckers and their feelings and _groundings._   Daryl has never been grounded in his entire life and he won't start now.

He's hobbling around for a while before he's bothered by anyone. People do tend to turn in the other direction when they see him, which good. That's what he wants. Doesn't need or want to be bothered. He goes by Rosita's house and she snorts loudly at his predicament from her porch where she's having a beer, which okay is a bit annoying, but she doesn't offer to help or anything. That's one of the reasons he actually likes her. She knows when he doesn't wanna chat, just lets him be him.

Too soon Daryl finds himself bothered.

"Hey Dixon, ugh... I think you forgot something,"

Jesus fucking Christ Daryl does not have time for any of this bullshit.

Despite Rovias attempts to flag down the man Daryl keeps up his pace, hobbling along the sidewalk. Granted, it's not fast and Jesus catches up quickly. He's got that shit eating grin of his on his face and he's holding the crutches Daryl refused to use.

Daryl doesn't look at him but continues to move, Jesus slows down his pace to keep in line with him. Daryl ignores that.

"Do you think maybe you should be using these?" Jesus supplies when he realises Daryl is just going to ignore him.

Daryl rolls his eyes, "Don't need 'em,"

"Right," Jesus says exaggeratedly, "No I can see how they whole slow paced thing is working for you, very manly, very tough. The limp really pulls it all together."

If Daryls ankle wasn't hurting like a bitch right now he would deck the younger man.

"Don't ya have somewhere to be?" Daryl spits.

Jesus smirks at him, opting to use the crutches for himself and walks slowly next to Daryl, "Nope. Just hanging around. Thought you could use some company,"

"Don't need no company," Daryl almost whines, it's not a whine though. A manly complaint, a threat almost, "Just need ta be left alone,"

"Is that why you're looking for a place to hide?" Jesus smirks and Daryl wants to knock him out.

"Don't hide," Daryl mumbles. He wishes he sounded more threatening and assure of himself though.

"Right, Eric said you probably went off to hide in the old watch tower,"

How did he even know that? How on earth did Eric possibly know that?

Daryl doesn't _hide_ in the old watch tower. He keeps watch in the old watch tower, it's just a bonus nobody ever goes up there and leaves him alone. Not his fault nobody knows his there.

At least he _thought_ nobody knew he was there.

"Did Eric tell you to go watch me?" Daryl stops in his tracks and asks.

Jesus stops, leaning back and forth on the crutches, "No, actually it was Rick,"

"Son of a bitch," Daryl mumbles and keeps walking ignoring the beanie wearing hippie.

"He was just worried you might hurt yourself," Jesus says, "They really care about you, you know that? It must be nice, having people to worry over."

Daryl just grunts, he doesn't want to feel guilty because Jesus has no friends. Sometimes he wishes he didn't have any friends. Take his annoying, over protective, moddle coddling weirdos, he thinks.

But also don't, because sometimes he likes them.

 He really doesn't want to have this conversation, with Jesus of all people. It's not like he hasn't noticed the younger man didn't seem to have a place anywhere before Alexandria and Maggie.

"You're a bit of a grump you know that Dixon?" Jesus smirks as he continues to follow him.

Daryl actually stops at that one and glares at the man, because okay. One, he is not a child who might hurt himself, and two, "A grump?" he splutters.

He's been called a lot of things, but grump is a new one.

"Yep," Jesus says popping the P, "A grumpy pants. Is it because your injured and your ankle hurts way more then you'd ever lead on or is it just one of your charming personality traits?"

Daryl is going to get his cross bow and put an arrow in this guys leg the first chance he gets.

Instead of retaliating, he just keeps walking. That's what he wants, a retaliation. Daryl wasn't born yesterday, lived with Merle most of his life. He will not sink down to name calling bullshit.

Besides, Jesus is a child.

The walking isn't doing wonders for Daryls ankle though and it's actually starting to hurt, he winces audibly which turns Jesus' smirk into a grimace.

"Seriously Daryl you should be using these," Jesus hands over the crutches and Daryl pushes them away. He sits down on the ground instead, wincing when he stretches his legs out in front of him slowly, trying not to aggravate his leg.

Jesus sits down next to him, setting the crutches down, "Does it hurt?"

"No more than this conversation," Daryl bites back and Jesus actually laughs.

Maybe Daryl isn't as feared as he would like to be.

This is all Ricks fault he thinks bitterly.

They sit in silence for a while, Daryl contemplating whether he'd make it back to the house or not without help. And to be completely honest he'd rather sit here all night then use the crutches, or get Jesus to help him.

He thinks someone would physically drag him back before they let him sit here all night, apparently.

See these stupid bloody people and their stupid worrying. It's exhausting. Can't he just wallow in peace like good old days before the world ended?

"They just worry," Jesus said quietly and Daryl snorted.

"They need to fuckin stop," Daryl glares at the ground.

Jesus just smirks at him and stands up, offering his hand for Daryl, "Come on Dixon gotta get you back to the house. Rick put me on Daryl duty and if you don't come back in one piece it'll be my head on a plate."

Daryl doesn't move just glares at the bearded man. Daryl duty? _Really_?

He's going to murder that beared idiot when he gets back.

Jesus goes for another tactic, "Okay, Dixon I didn't want to do this to you. But don't make me tell Maggie what happened. If she gets wind of this you'll be shipped off to Hilltop and under her reign, and believe me she'll be way worse than Rick. No way she'd let her favourite Uncle Daryl out of her sight for a minute."

Daryl glares at Jesus and is about to say something snappy when he realises that he is in fact right. Ever since the collapse of Negan, Maggie has been in charge of Hilltop, and while she's a great leader she's also a mother. Fiercely protective of her cubs, and any of her people. She's fallen into the role of leader without a hitch, but still regularly checks in with Alexandria and her family.

Although she loves her people, ever since their original group has gotten smaller their tight nit community has gotten even tighter. They are her family and she would protect them with her life. Considering what happened to Daryl, it's no wonder she tends to panic a bit more when something happens to him. Last month he'd gotten sick - it was barely anything, didn't stop him hunting or nothing but it didn't stop people from worrying sick over him - and she'd come down just to check on him.

It had been mortifying.

But also kind of nice.

He cared for Maggie, he would die for her and her baby.

It's nice that she would ultimately do the same.  He's just not entirely sure when he became one of her 'cubs' though and he can't say it's the most maculating feeling in the world.

Still, he doesn't want her to worry over this. He's got enough people here worrying about it, it's ridiculous.

 He also doesn't want to go to Hilltop in this state, because Maggie will just shove the baby in his arms and he'll melt like a freaking candle. Dixons never did babies before the world ended but God would he take a bullet for lil ass kicker or Carl in a heartbeat. And Maggies kid, _Glens baby_ , god he would do anything for that thing.

Which everyone within a 100 mile radius can tell, and something Maggie has no issues at all exploiting. He'd be stuck there babysitting and napping all day with him and they're would be nothing he could do about it because he _can't say no_.

It's like he forgets how to use proper words when he's holding the baby. He's starting to look like Glen and it chokes Daryl up more then he'd ever admit.

That was a bloody low blow Jesus.

"Fine, but I'm not doing it for you," Daryl says and allows Jesus to help him stand. He takes the crutches and puts them under his armpits. It's weird, but it takes the pressure of his ankle. It still kind of hurts, especially the wound on his arm reminding him how actually injured he is. But it's the better option than hobbling.

"No," Jesus says smirking, "You're doing it because you're a big softy."

Daryl shoves the man harshly, being able to have much more leverage with the crutches and Jesus laughs as he stumbles.

"A big grumpy pants softy whose scared of Maggie," Jesus continues, annoying Daryl is his favourite pass time. Getting Daryl to blush is his second favourite past time.

The worlds a slow place now, give him that.

"I swear to god 'm gonna kick your ass," Daryl mutters but there's hardly any kick behind it.

They walk back slowly, Jesus keeping in line with Daryl's agonisingly slow pace.

When Daryl spies Eric coming out of his house he tries to turn the other way, Aarons trailing behind him. Daryl can tell they're going to corner him to try and feed him dinner.

They're nice like that.

It's disgusting.

Jesus doesn't seem to understand what's going on though because when Daryl tries to ultimately bail on the situation - although his not sure how far he would get anyway, and he knows Aaron would find too much enjoyment out of chasing him down - Jesus see's Eric coming and grasps Daryls bicep pulling him back, "Hey look it's Eric. Hey Eric, Aaron!" Jesus calls out waving and Daryl curses the man to the moon.

"Fuck sake Rovia," Daryl mutters and Jesus just looks confused.

"Daryl! Jesus hey," Eric catches up to them, "Aaron said you'd been hurt! Daryl what have you done to yourself?"

Daryl just grunts and Aarons giving him a shit eating grin. Like he knows how uncomfortable this situation is making him and he doesn't care. He knows full well Eric is laying it on pretty thick, but he's not going to call anyone out on it. Daryl could use a little over the top sometimes.

Even if he doesn't think so.

"Come on inside, we were just making dinner," Eric says, putting a hand on the small of Daryls back and giving him a slight push when Daryl doesn't move, "You too Jesus, we'd love to have you over."

"I'd love to!" Jesus says way too excited and Daryl wants to puke in his mouth a little bit, "What are we having?"

"Spaghetti," Eric replies, "Daryls favourite,"

Daryl would like the earth to swallow him right up here if that was possible, thanks.

"Sounds great," Jesus smiles at him, following Eric into the house.

Daryl's going to punch something.

Aaron doesn't even let Daryl try and make a run for it, which he knows he will absolutely do given the chance. So he gives him a sympathetic look, although Daryl can see he's enjoying this far too much, and guides him into the house.

"It'll be nice," Aaron tries.

Daryl glares at the man, "You're not getting rabbits no more."


End file.
